Television receiver



M. FLAHERTY TELEVIS ION RECEIVER 3 Sheets-Sheet l l 1 inventor- FlahertyFiled Oct. 31, 1936 E Mar (Ittomeg y 1938- M. FLAHERTY TELEVISIONRECEIVER Filed Oct. 31, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 r O I n e D n 3 MarliFlaheriy attorney Patented May 31, 1938 PATENT OFFICE TELEVISIONRECEIVER Mark Flaherty, Haddonfleld, N. 1., assignor to RadioCorporation of America, a corporation oi Delaware Application October31, 1936, Serial No. 108,511

8 Claims.

My invention relates to television receivers,

and particularly to television receivers of the type including a cathoderay tube.

One of the objects of my invention is to providean improved televisionreceiver of the console type.

More specifically, an object of my invention is to provide an improvedreceiver which will produce a picture that may be viewed without thereceiver being in complete darkness. A further object of my invention isto provid an improved arrangement of receiver elements whereby areceived picture may be viewed on an inclined mirror in a shadow box"without the 5 picture appearing to be at the back of the shadow box.

A further object of my invention is to provide a comparatively compactreceiver in which the control knobs and tuning scale are positioned at aconvenient height for the operator.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an improvedmounting for a cathode ray tube whereby a defective cathode ray tube maybe readily replaced.

In practicing my invention, the top portion of a console receiver isdesigned to function as a mount the cathode ray tubevertically-underneath the mirror with the mirror set at an angle of 45degrees to the vertical. If this practice were followed when a shadowbox is used, the picture would appear to be at the far end of a darktunnel, since a cathode ray tube of even moderate size must be locatedat the back of the cabinet to conserve space.

In accordance with one feature of my invention, I overcome theabove-mentioned difliculty by-inclining the cathode ray tube toward thefront of the cabinet and setting the mirror forward in the shadow boxand inclining it at less than 45 degrees to the horizontal.

In accordance with another feature of my invention, I mount thetelevision chassis in the cabinet at an acute angle to the horizontal,with the front edge of the chassis located at the proper height for thecontrol knobs and with the back edge located below the front edge toprovide the from a mirror, it has been the usual practice to.

necessary space for the cathode ray tube. The cathode ray tube ispreferably mounted in a metal shield which is pivotally supported at theback edge of the chassis, whereby the shield may be swung to the rear ofthe cabinet to permit a 5 tube replacement.

Other objects, features and advantages of my invention will appear fromthe following description, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings in which 10 Figure 1 is a front view of a combined sound andpicture receiver embodying my invention,

Figure 2 is a side view, taken partly in crosssection, of the receivershown in Figure 1,

1 Figure 3 is a plan view of a portion of the re- 15.

ceiver shown in Figure 1, and

Figure 4 is a view taken in cross-section along the line IV-IV of Figure3.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, my improved television receiver comprises acabinet 10 of the 20 console type which, in the particular modelillustrated, is wide enough to permit the installation of both atelevision chassis and a broadcast receiver chassis indicated at 9(Fig.2) At the top of the cabinet there. is a shadow box II, which 25has a mirror l2 mounted in the front end thereof for viewing thetelevision picture. It will be understood that by "shadow box is meant a1 tunnel-like structure or enclosure for surrounding a mirror or screenupon which a picture is to 30 appear, this structure being employed forthe purpose of keeping stray light from the mirror or screen surface.The inner surface of the shadow box I I is coated with some suitabledead black material for 35,

will permit. 45

Referring more particularly to Fig. 2, it will be seen that the mirror12 is set toward the front of the shadow box and inclined at an angle Bof less than 45 degrees to the horizontal. The

cathode ray tube, indicated at I3 indotted lines, 50

is mounted in a tube shield 14 below the mirror 12, with itslongitudinal axis atan acute angle to the vertical.

The cathode ray tube I3 is of the type having a fluorescent screen 16positioned substantially 55 normal to the axis of the tubes electrongun, this axis also being the longitudinal axis ofv the tube.

In the specific embodiment illustrated, the flucrescent screen I6 is onthe end of the tube envelope, but it may bev preferred to put thefluorescent material on a separateflat piece of glass inside the tubeenvelope.

The cathode ray tube I3 is so inclined with respect to the mirror l2that a line normal to the fluorescent screen It makes an ,acute angle Awith the mirror which is equal to the acute angle B that the mirrormakes with the horizontal. With this arrangement, the picture appears tobe positioned vertically and far enough forward in the shadow box sothat it does not have the'obiectionable appearance of being at the farend of a tunnel. At the same time the lower end of the cathode ray tubeII is at the rear of the cabinet, where it does not interfere with Thecathode ray tube shield I4 is mounted at its lower end upon the samemember that supports the chassis 9, the shield being supported from abracket l9 and a U-shaped member 2|. The closed end of the U-shapedmember 2| is pivotally fastened to the bracket l9 while the other end isriveted to the tube shield M.

The tube shield I4 is further supported at the upper end by aring-shaped member 22 which is bolted to a light shield 23 extendingfrom the.

shadow box I This structure is shown in detail in Figs. 3 and 4. It willbe seen that the upper edge of the tube shield I4 is fastened to thememdesired to replace a cathode ray tube, the fas- 7 her 22 by severalthreaded fasteners 24. If it is teners 24 are removed and the shield I4is swung to the rear of the cabinet, as indicated by the dotted lines25.

A The light shield 23, like the interior of the shadow box II, is a deadblack to prevent reflections. It will be apparent that, with thestructure just described, stray light cannot enter the shadow box fromeither the rear or interior of the cabinet.

The loud speaker is mounted below the chassis as indicated at 21,preferably on an inclined baille 28. The power pack 29 for the receiveris set on the bottom of the cabinet.

if desired, a sliding door 3| may be provided for closing the open endof the shadow box when a picture is not being viewed. The door 3| isclosed by pulling it forward from the. solid line position and lettingit drop to close the front of the shadow box, as indicated by the twodotted Also, hinged doors 32 may bepro line positions.

' vided for concealing the receiver control panel.

Referring to the receiver control panel 33 shown in Fig. 1, on the leftside of the tuning scale there is a tuning indicator 34 such as thecathode ray device known by the trade-mark Magic Eye.

On the right side of the tuning scale there is a Vernier tuningindicator 36, a rotatable line of light across the face of the indicatorserving as a pointer". The control knobs I! are located in a rowunderneath the tuning scale, this row of knobs including the tuningknob, the volume control knob, the band changing switch,.the picturecontrast control, etc. At the top of the cabinet there is a row ofcontrol knobs 31, as shown in dotted lines, which normally do notrequire adjustment unless some change is made in the receiver, as when atube is changed.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that variousmodifications may be made in my invention without departing from thespirit and scope thereof, and I desire, therefore, that' only suchlimitations shall be imposed thereon as are necessitated by the priorart and are set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A television receiver comprising a cabinet having a shadow boxlocated at the top thereof, a mirror positioned in said shadow box andlocated toward 'the front thereof with the reflecting surface facing theopen end of the shadow box,

said mirror being inclined at an angle to the horizontal which is lessthan 45 degrees, and a cathode ray tube including a fluorescent screenupon which a received picture appears, said cathode ray tube being,located below said mirror and at such an angle thereto that a linenormal to said screen makes an acute angle with said mirror which issubstantially equal to the acute angle which said mirror makes with thehorizontal.

'2. A television receiver comprising a cabinet which includes a shadowbox, a mirror positioned in said shadow box and inclined at an angle of'less than 45 degrees to the horizontal with its reflecting surfacefacing the open end of the shadow box, and a cathode ray tube includinga fluorescent screen, said tube being positioned below said mirror andat an angle such that a line normal to said screen makes an acute anglewith said mirror which is substantially equal to the acute angle whichsaid mirror makes with the horizontal.

3. A television receiver comprising a cabinet which includes a shadowbox, a mirror positioned in said shadow box and inclined at an angle ofless than 45 degrees to the horizontal with its reflecting surfacefacingthe open end of the shadow box, and a cathode ray tube whichincludes a fluorescent screen located substantially at right angles tothe longitudinal axis of said tube, said tube being located below saidmirror and at an angle such that said longitudinal axis makes an acuteangle with said mirror which is substantially equal to the acute anglewhich said mirror makes with the horizontal.

4. A television receiver comprising a console cabinet having a shadowbox located at the top thereof with the open end of the shadow box atthe front of the cabinet, a mirror positioned in said shadow box andinclined at an angle of less than 45 degrees to the horizontal with itsreflecting surface facing said open end, said shadow box having anopening in the bottom thereof underneath said mirror, a light shieldextending from said bottom opening, and a shield for a cathode ray tubemounted underneath said light shield and in contact therewith to excludelight, said tube shield being mounted at an acute angle to the verticalwith its upper end closer to the front of the cabinet than its back end.

5. A television receiver comprising a console cabinet having a'shadowbox located at the top thereof with the open end of the shadow box atthe front of the cabinet, a mirror positioned in said shadow box towardthe front thereof and inclined at an angle of less than 45 degrees tothe horizontal with its reflecting surface facing said open end, meansfor mounting a cathode ray tube below said mirror with its upper endnearer the front of said cabinet than its lower end and with itslongitudinal axis making an acute angle with respect to said mirrorwhich is substantially equal to said first-mentioned angle,-and atelevision chassis mounted between s aid tube and the front of saidcabinet with the front edge of said chassis higher than its back edge.

6. A television receiver comprising a console cabinet having a certainwidth for most of its height which width is great enough to permit theinstallation of a television chassis, a shadow box located at the top ofsaid cabinet with its open end facing the front of the cabinet, saidshadow box being narrower than said certain width and beingsymmetrically positioned with respect to the front of the cabinet, amirror positioned in said shadow box and inclined at an angle of lessthan 45 degrees to the horizontal with its reflecting surface facing thefront of the cabinet, means '7. A television receiver comprising acabinet having a shadow box located at the top thereof, a mirrorpositioned in said shadow box at an angle of less than 45 degrees to thehorizontal with the reflecting surface facing the front of the cabinet,means for mounting a cathode ray tube below said mirror and at an acuteangle to the vertical with the upper end of said tube closer to thefront of the cabinet than its lower end, said mounting means beingcharacterized in that it includes a link having one end pivoted to amember supported from said cabinet and having the other end fastened toa supporting member for said tube whereby said tube may be swungdownwardly and rearwardly for replacement or inspection.

8. A television receiver comprising a cabinet, a cathode ray tubemounted in said cabinet with its longitudinal axis at an acute angle tothe vertical and with the upper end thereof nearer the front of thecabinet than its lower end, a television chassis mounted betwen saidtube and the front of said cabinet at an acute angle to the horizontalwith the front edge of said chassis higher than the back edge thereof,and means for pivotally mounting said tube to said back edge whereby itmay be swung rearwardly and downwardly for replacement or inspection. I

- MARK FLAHERTY.

